THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: December 2021 (Page 4 of 6)

THE WINERY DOGS – Live In Santiago

December 6, 2021 /

What to expect when you put together three of the world’s virtuoso musicians? When this project was first announced I was very intrigued as to what sounds they would produce. Richie Kotzen was not the first choice as guitar player/singer when this project first got off the ground, John Sykes was the original choice but he was taking forever to get his act together. Portnoy and Sheehan pulled the plug with him and teamed up with Kotzen, and boy was that the right decision. Classic rock with a very soulful edge is how I would describe the band, and they are a real kick ass three piece in the tradition of many that went before.

If you are unfamiliar with the band, this is a great introduction. It’s basically a Best Of that has been captured on a great night with a very receptive vocal crowd along with a great production. Every song done here is so good and the band are so tight that it’s hard to pick a favourite, but We Are One is just fantastic with an extra solo tagged onto an already superb rendition. There is a bass and drum solo but no guitar solo as Richie just lays it in nearly every track.

The bonus EP is tacked onto the final side of the third disc with three original tracks and two covers. The covers are Moonage Daydream by Bowie and Love Is Alive by Gary Wright. Criminal and The Game have that early seventies funky blues groove, and with Kotzen’s soulful voice, are just amazing. Solid Ground is an acoustic piece which is a harmony tour de force.

There are a few copies of this still around so snap yourself up one ASAP.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

VINNIE VINCENT INVASION – s/t

December 6, 2021 /

Definitely all killer no filler here, and a definite FU to Paul and Gene. It’s a superb album and the best of the two Invasion albums. They have a killer line up with Vinnie ripping it up on guitars, Robert Fleischman on vocals, Dana Strum on bass, and Bobby Rock on drums.

As with most of the album, Boyz Are Gonna Rock is all about Vinnie, I mean there is some serious playing all over this track and he sure is getting all his frustrations out on that poor guitar. Shoot You Full Of Love is more of what this album is all about, big huge anthems with the appropriate amount over the top Vinnie. No Substitute should have been released as a single, but for some reason was passed over as this type of song at the time was all over the charts. Animal is just epic. From the opening riff and guitar tone, you know this track is gonna melt your face at some point, and it most certainly does as Vinnie murders another guitar. Back On The Street reminds me of Saxon – apart from the guitar obviously. Baby-O would have made a great single as the chorus just screams Top 20, but maybe the guitar was a bit over the top😂. The album closes out with Invasion, a decent tune that Vinnie just rips the hell out of.

If you’re a hair metal freak or a guitar nerd, you will probably have this anyway.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

BANG TANGO – Dancin’ On Coals

December 4, 2021 /

There was definitely a disruption in the force when these guys appeared on the scene. This album never did as well as Psycho Cafe, and I’m guessing grunge had a big impact on that. This didn’t appear until ’91, but I really like this record as it has a killer vibe and groove.

This album saw them trying different things. The opening track is a glam/sleaze funk monster of a tune that is killer – I really love the groove of the song. Well if that track floats your boat, then Untied And True is a glam anthem. It has a killer riff and sleazy groove with a Billy Idol chorus – a great tune! So how do you avoid going down the boring normal ballad route when slowing the pace down? The answer is in Emotions In Gear – a cool sleazy cinematic piece. I’m In Love is superb with the weird Elton Rifles guitar riff and the funky grooves – plus a ripping guitar solo. The funky vibe continues with Big Line, a serious up-tempo groover that has more in common with Fishbone than the LA glam scene. Midnight Struck closes out Side 1 and is a big sleazy barroom blues.

Side 2 kicks off with the power pop blast of the title track. Then we’re back to the slightly weird and funky with My Saltine. There is so much going on musically, it’s all over the map, which I do have soft spot for. Dressed Up Vamp is a sleazy hair metal groove fest, as is Last Kiss which was probably written in The Rainbow washroom. The album closes out with Cactus Juice, and it’s where the majority of the album lies in funky town.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

CHINA – s/t

December 4, 2021 /

Switzerland’s other rock band – you know – the one you’ve never heard of.

Krokus are the band that everyone knows, but China seems to dip under the radar. It’s a shame, as this is a great hair metal record – if they would have been from LA they would have made a big noise. A definite candidate for hair metal Monday.

Opening track, Shout It Out, is a superb hair metal stomp with a sing-a-long chorus and great riff. Back To You was actually written by Krokus’ Fernando Von Arb and would have been a great single – it’s just a great fun song. The Fight Is On is a track that Motley Crüe would have died to have written – a great chorus and melody – this track really rocks. Big hair power ballad time is next with Wild Jealousy and it’s a bit of a mood killer for me as we were really motoring, but it’s a decent enough tune. The glam is back up and rockin’ with Rock City with its simple riff and groove, but these songs work so well.

Over to Side 2 we go with Hot Lovin’ Night and it’s a similar vibe and groove as where we left with Side 1. I love the twin guitars of Freddy Laurence and Claudio Matteo – they make a killer pair, and with the vocals of Math Shiverow you wonder why these guys weren’t bigger. Living On The Stage has a nice funky undertone to the groove of the song, and with a fat riff makes a cool change of pace. I Need Your Love has a cool blues boogie swing before it’s back to ballad city with One Shot To The Heart. A nice choppy Van Halen style riff and a Hot For Teacher double kick shuffle announces the arrival of the album closer, Stayin’ Alive – a kick ass way to end the album.

This is a really good album that gets docked a point for double ballad murder – even though the second one does rock more and it turns into a Poison style sing a long.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

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